But if They Don't Buy it, There will be Less Revenue

I was listening to the radio this morning and the politicians in NY discuss the importance of a tax on sugared beverages. Basically a soda tax.

It was put forward that NY needed the money this tax would generate. And if this tax wasn't passed then that multi-million (or maybe billion - I wasn't listening that closely) gap would have to be made up another way. So it was imperative for the financial health of the state that this tax be approved.

But these same politicians seemed to have a secondary reason why it was so important to pass this tax. People are fat. And getting fatter. And soda isn't good for them. So a tax will help to keep them from drinking as much soda. It will make them healthier and thinner and the world will be a better place full of rainbows and unicorns (okay, I added that last bit.)

Now, is it just me, or is there a problem with this model? If you desperately need the money, but your tax is going to alter behavior so that not as much of the product is sold - won't that eat into the proposed tax revenue?

Good thing I'm not a politician or an economist. I think my head would explode!

Tuesday's Proverb

Like a golden ring in a swine's snout is a beautiful woman with a rebellious disposition. (Proverbs 11:22)

The Storm is Passing - Five Things on a Monday

And I don't mean that in a figurative sense. The storm that pounded the Northeast this weekend is now just cloudy skies and light rain. But I figure I can come up with five things to say about it on a Monday morning (and that will keep me from railing against losing an hour of sleep this weekend.)

1) There are a lot of trees down near us, but none hit our house. A neighbor's garage does have a large tree lying across the top of it though.

2) We did not lose power. Though areas of our neighborhood did. The most we lost was for about a minute and then we simply figured it was easier not to reset the clocks until later when we had to reset them for DST anyway.

3) The sump pump almost always went on when needed. Yes, the rug in the basement is soaked. Yes there were times the pump didn't go on. But for the most part it worked - and the electricity staying on was a big help there.

4) The pounding hail and thunder on Sunday morning helped wake up our sleepy daughter in time for church. :)

5) Boiling drinking water is a pain in the neck. Just saying. But if that's the worst of our inconveniences I guess we're doing pretty good.

Tuesday's Proverb

Truly the evil man shall not go unpunished, but those who are just shall escape. (Proverbs 11:21)

Tuesday's Proverb

The depraved in heart are an abomination to the LORD, but those who walk blamelessly are his delight. (Proverbs 11:20)

Poetry Friday - Tessa in Wonderland, Part 2

This snowy Friday, I bring you the second in a continuing series by my 13-year-old daughter.

Tessa in Wonderland

by KRM

Part II
When I awoke, I immediately knew
It was NOT a
Dream.
The headache
I’d acquired from my
Run-in with the tree
Was real enough
The scrapes on my knees
Were real
I pinched my arm
And felt it,
This was no dream.

I propped myself up
Watching a cart or two
Filled with
Human-sized frogs
Card people
Walruses and
Things like that
Pass by.
Wondering if
Maybe they noticed me.
I never realized
That they were trying hard
Not
To.

“What is this place?”
I asked passersby
Who ignored me
Completely
Like the others.
I kept asking
Until a
Chocolate-colored
Rabbit
Slowed his mules,
Reigns held tightly in
His brown paws,
One ear was flopped
Over his right eye
And it twitched slightly.
“Where am I?”
I asked.
He stared at me.
“You’re an otherworlder?” He said
In awe

“I guess.” I said,
Rubbing my scraped knees
“Well, Otherworlder
This is
The Spade Province
Of
Wonderland.”

MsMac is hosting the Poetry Friday Round-up over at Check it Out. So go and check it out!

Thursday Thoughts

It's snowing here.

Again.

But there have definitely been some bright spots in my week.

The sump pump not working as expected and causing a couple inches of water in the basement was not one of them.

But seeing my son's face as he got the bright-yellow 21-speed mountain bike he's been wishing for as a 10th birthday present was definitely one of them.

(I would post a picture of my son with his bicycle, but it appears my camera decided it wasn't necessary to save those pictures. Hmph.)

Another bright spot was the review I discovered yesterday at Not Enough Bookshelves. Go ahead and read the whole thing. My favorite line was:

You know when you've had a rough day and you just want to curl up on the sofa and devour a whole bar of chocolate, but you can't because of that pesky diet? Well, When Mike Kissed Emma, is the perfect alternative.

On the writing front, with one book ready to send out in the hopes of finding it a publishing home, I've started revisions on another story. This one is a time-travel Civil War story and should be a lot of fun to really dig into.

Lent has gotten off to a good start here - though birthday celebrations during Lent are always a challenge. Unfortunately with a birthday at the end of February my son will be celebrating during Lent more often than not.

And as a final thought, I leave you with a picture of my 10-year-old.

Tuesday's Proverb

Virtue directs toward life, but he who pursues evil does so to his death. (Proverbs: 11:19)

Poetry Friday - Tessa in Wonderland, Part 1

Knowing that I like to showcase her poems on Poetry Friday, my 13-year-old daughter has written me a series of poems specifically for Poetry Friday. Here is the first one.

Tessa in Wonderland

by KRM

Part I
I remember falling
Out of that tree’s
Strong arms,
The ground crumbling
Beneath me
As I fell into that
Sinkhole.
At least, that’s what I thought
It was at the time
Everyone
Told me that I had
Had a bad dream
But I knew it was anything but
A dream.

I fell through the hole
Yelling as loud as I could
Limbs flailing,
Then I hit the ground,
And I continued to yell
As I rolled
Down a hill,
Scraping my knees
Ripping my grass-stained overalls
My tumble only stopped
When a huge oak tree,
Ironically the same kind that I had
Fallen out of
Stopped my journey
After that
It was only
Darkness

Wonderland was a scary place
No one trusted the other
Rabbits talked
Flowers sang
Trees indulged in meaningful conversation
A girl from the otherworld,
Like me,
Is regarded like a freak
Because we hardly ever make it down there.
Wonderlanders had their own
Troubles,
It was surprising I made it out
Alive.

TO BE CONTINUED.....

The Poetry Friday Round-Up this week is by Irene Latham at Live. Love. Explore.

These Forty Days

I saw this video in a few different places and thought I'd share it too, for Ash Wednesday.

Tuesday's Proverb

The wicked man makes empty profits, but he who sows virtue has a sure reward. (Proverbs: 11:18)

Tuesday's Proverb

A kindly man benefits himself, but a merciless man harms himself. (Proverbs 11:17)

A Review to Brighten my Day

There's nothing like a nice review to brighten up a gray February day. And I found that today over at Bookworm Nation where Kathy gave a sweet review to When Mike Kissed Emma.

My favorite line:

This was a fun romantic read to help get you in the mood for Valentine’s.

That puts a happy end to the week! Bring on the snow!

Poetry Friday

It's Poetry Friday once again, and luckily I came across another poem my 13-year-old daughter wrote (I'm very lucky she likes to write poems or I'd have nothing to put up on Poetry Friday!)

Odd and Queer but not Strange
By KRM

Isn’t it strange
How
In stories they never tell
About how
The character
Flunked Civics
Because he was fighting
Crime?
Or how so and so
Fell asleep in Math.
Or how the hero
Couldn’t open his locker
When Evil Character was
Dropping books
On His head?

Isn’t it Weird
How
Fairy tales conveniently
Have villains and
Princesses in stock?
Or how Princesses
Hate to sew…
And get locked in towers?
Where do they find these towers?
I’ll bet they make
Great
Detention and
Suspension rooms.

Weird, isn’t it
How they completely
Skim over the structure
Of government in
La-La Land
Except to say that
It was
Ruled by a dictator
King or Queen
Everyone loved….
Why didn’t Everyone fight
For
King and Queen
Instead of going against them
When they were overthrown?

Strange how
You think about this stuff
When you should be
Studying.

The Poetry Friday Round-Up is at Great Kid Books.

Tuesday's Proverb

A gracious woman wins esteem, but she who hates virtue is covered with shame. (The slothful become impoverished, but the diligent gain wealth.) (Proverbs 11:16)

Soup on Saturday

It's not always easy to organize meals so that we can all eat together - and there are times - especially during baseball season - when it is just not possible. And Saturdays pose another problem for us. My daughter became involved in an archery league. It meets Saturdays from five to seven. It is forty-five minutes away. My husband takes her there. This means they are gone from about 4:15 until 7:45. Which of course leaves me with the question... um, when should we eat?

I solved this problem with soup on Saturdays.

I use my slow-cooker and whip up a batch of soup. And I try to make some fresh bread too - if I get the chance. My husband and daughter have a bowl before they leave and another when they get back (with the bread the second time). My son and I eat when the bread is done.

This has been working great in the fall and winter. We'll see what happens when the nice weather comes. Soup might not be so appealing then.

And if anyone is interested in my super easy soup recipe here it is (adjust as you see fit.)

1 lb ground beef browned (sometimes I chop up onion and garlic and cook it with the meat - other times I just use my trusty spice bottles).

1 28 oz can of tomato sauce, tomato puree or crushed tomatoes - any one of these work.

1 large potato diced

1 large or 2 medium carrots diced.

But it all in the slow cooker with one can of water (a good way to get the extra tomato out of the can). Add spices to taste. Stir and cook on low until dinner time.

Poetry Friday

For Poetry Friday this week my thirteen-year-old daughter is allowing me to share another one of her poems. Though, let it be noted, this poem is not going to get her out of cleaning her room.

Why Cleaning your Room is Bad
by KRM

Six inches High
Standing on my desk
Chubby hands on hips
Looking Fierce
“What did I tell you?”
He asks
“Why didn’t you listen?”
I sat at my desk,
Staring at him,
Confused, Scared.
“Well, human,” He snaps
“Now this is WAR!”
He jumps down
Onto a bed of s
Stuffed animals
Back to his
Tribe under
A heap of doll clothes,
Binders,
And Bags.
I should’ve known better
Than to clean my room
And disturb
The gnomes.

The Poetry Friday Round-up is being hosted by Anastasia Suen over at Picture Book of the Day.

An Interview

Eleni, over at La Femme Readers, has an interview with me up today. Go and read find out all kind of obscure facts about me, like why I don't go to horror movies.

Tuesday's Proverb

He is in a bad way who becomes surety for another, but he who hates giving pledges is safe. (Proverbs 11:15)

Poetry Friday

Yes, I know I haven't posted in almost a month. I'm going to try to remedy that. In the meantime it's Friday and my daughter wrote a new poem last night, so without further ado here is our contribution to Poetry Friday.

Jack
by KRM

I was no fool
The man paid me
Plenty more for that
Cow than it deserved.
And then he handed me
The beans.

Grinning, decaying teeth
Exposed,
He said, "Keep the change,"
Then he vanished,
With my cow.

I stood in the middle
Of the road for a moment,
Staring at the
Leather pouch
of coins, and the
Five beans in my
Palm.

Then I scampered home,
Tossed my mama the money
and planted those beans.

I never expected it to take one night,
But when the stalk grew
I had every intention
Of being foolish
And seeing what
Was beyond
The clouds it grew
up to.

The rest of course,
Is history.
And yet, I can't help
But wonder
Who would want a
Sickly cow
And part with
Magic beans?

The Poetry Friday round-up is at Liz in Ink.